"I hate secrets." Said Will Horton before he went to testify at his mother's trial. Little did he know that his boyfriend was actually keeping secrets from him at that very moment. More than one, in fact.
Indeed, the award for secret keeping this week goes to Sonny Kiriakis and Chad DiMera. Our friend Sonny is keeping secrets from his beloved partner, both pertaining to the mother of his child. Last year, he discovered that Gabi was responsible for what happened to Melanie and consequently the explosions. He has not, however, told this to Will. And recently, Sonny learned that Gabi was sleeping with Nick. He is also refraining from telling Will this information. Meanwhile, Chad is spinning a secret inside a secret. Chad told Cameron that he had a brain tumor, which he does not. And he has Cameron believing that he is keeping this "secret" from Abigail.
Phew!
Both are participating in the most infamous and yet most popular strategy for soap drama: secret keeping.
In Chad's case, he is manipulating the situation and doing it for his own personal gain. This sounds suspiciously like a DiMera. Oh, wait...
Sonny, on the other hand, is being manipulated by a) Chad so he doesn't go to jail for breach of contract and b) Gabi as she is threatening to leave and take Ari with her. Sonny is clearly also doing it to spare Will's feelings...or so he probably tells himself. It is odd because he says that he hates it, and he knows it's wrong... but he does it anyway.
The worst, the absolute worst thing you can do (on a soap and in life) other than cheat is lie and keep secrets from your partner. When a connection between two people is strong and built on trust, one cannot ever betray that trust, otherwise hellfire will burn the relationship to the ground.
"Will and I do not keep secrets from each other," Sonny said to Gabi.
"Keeping secrets, especially about something this serious is NOT a good way to start a relationship," said Kayla to Chad.
My post on Tumblr inspired this and can be viewed here
Indeed, Kayla was correct. It is never a good idea to keep secrets at any point in a relationship. Yet, so many soap characters do it. And it ALWAYS backfires.
If we look at Chad, he has already lied about falling for Melanie while he was with Abby the first time and that did not end well. Sonny is keeping two secrets currently. However, Will also kept a pretty big one from Sonny--the fact that he was the father of Gabi's baby.
Interestingly, the most popular secrets, and the most dramatic, are paternity secrets. They are very easy to lie about and almost alway cause domestic issues. (which are infinitely fun to watch). When the paternity of a child is called into question it usually will involve a lot of people, thus increasing the number of scenes a show can have. With a bunch of people enveloped in the story, either directly or indirectly, keeping paternity secrets are sure to stir up a lot of drama.
Will has had first hand experience with paternity secrets. His mother instilled in him the art of secret keeping. For even at a young age, Samantha Brady had everyone in Salem either believing her lies or keeping her secrets.
And her secrets continue to this day. To name a few there was: Will's paternity, drugging Austin, all her Carrie-stunts, custody-battle lies, pretending to be Stan, Grace's birth, shooting EJ, sleeping with EJ, and her most recent secrets from her attorney including knowing Bernardi, Will's involvement, Nick's incident, and the video.
Now we know why Will hates secrets.
One of the most well done paternity secrets was the one occurring throughout the year 2010. Chloe Lane slept with two men and had no idea who the father was. We still don't know! (I still believe we don't know the whole story for the explanation was rushed, too easily accepted, and Parker looks like Phil). Read about it in "The Lost Storyline" here
Chloe's paternity secret took the whole year of 2010 and extended into the aftermath in 2011. Her secret kept leaking and springing up more holes. Too many people found out. And that is the reason that it all came crashing down in the most heated baptism ever.
Other secrets, such as the Sydnapping, locking Vivian in a coffin, locking Carly in a coffin, locking Marlena in a basement, and faking a pregnancy because of a miscarriage, are the product of Days drama writing over the years. And this is not even including all of the secrets the DiMera's had.
So, we can safely assume that keeping secrets is the catalyst for dramatic revelations in soap operas. And since our beloved soaps are so thirsty for drama, the characters keep secrets even if they don't want to and know it's wrong. (Or they are a DiMera)
We suspect that Will will soon find out about the Gabi/Nick secret. Chad could possibly get away with his tumor secret for a while longer before Cameron starts digging. Gabi's secret should come out eventually. Although, it possibly already did when Chad found out and gave her grief.
With all of this secret keeping in Salem between Sonny, Chad, Sami, Stefano, Kristen, Marlena, and Nicole, drama is bound to unfold once these secrets are exposed.
Like the law of gravity: what goes up must come down...on a soap opera, a secret must always come out.
Showing posts with label Chloe Lane. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chloe Lane. Show all posts
Thursday, September 19, 2013
Monday, April 15, 2013
Thin Line Between Love & Hate
Question: Why do we all like Vargas? He's not a nice guy...he's not a veteran character...he's not related to anyone we love....he's not a positive asset to Salem...WHY then?
Answer: Because he's against Nick. And we like characters who are enemies of characters we hate! Simple as that.
But that seems kind of odd, doesn't it? Do we really hate Nick that much that we'll like anybody who opposes him? ...Yup.
How did we come to dislike Nick so much? When he first was up for parole, many people wanted to give him a second chance. That's one of Days' big themes. SECOND CHANCES. We remembered the Nick Fallon pre-prison.
The sweet guy who Chelsea dumped for Daniel. The guy who was buds with Max. The guy who took in foster children he didn't know and helped support their mom. The genius who created an alternative fuels project. The guy who tugged on all his relative's heartstrings when he took responsibility for his actions and went to prison.
This Nick Fallon is who we felt for when he came back. Unfortunately, we were in for a classic Days twist: turning a good guy into a bad guy...or vice versa.
Even the most conservative, anti-homosexual person would agree that Nick's behavior is unjust, uncalled for, and cruel. The fact is, our perspective of Nick changed the second he started in on Will.
It's safe to say that WilSon is one of the most popular couples on the show right now. So, any threat to a fan fav, especially a threat based on social bigotry, is a catalyst for character hatred.
The young, skinny, super-genius, underdog is gone. And the writers have re-worked his character so that we all turn against him, and root for his demise.
The same phenomenon happened recently when Salem's opera-singer came back. Chloe Lane is a complex character whose "good guy" and "bad guy" status changes constantly. (Read full bio in "Trip Down Memory LANE")
When Chloe first came to Salem in 1999, she was the unpopular, independent, different, taciturn, shy, and dark new girl. Not fitting in, being bullied, and yet having an amazing talent made "Ghoul Girl" a powerful character that you rooted for and tried to relate to.
However, her following storylines shook up that image. Her seductive, cheating, lying, and sneaky ways soon stole any sympathy we previously had for her. Occasionally we'd switch back over to her side when Kate tried to kill her, or when Vivian was manipulating her, or when she had post-partdom depression.
But upon her return, which was soley for the purpose of destroying Daniel's relationship with Jennifer and getting back with him, she crossed the line to "HATE" again.
This is where I realized the power of this trick--of liking one character JUST because one hates another.
Admittedly, at first, I was not in favor of the Dannifer ship. I was far too devastated over the Jack&Jennifer break up and later widow issue. I LOVED watching Jack&Jennifer scenes. They are adorable and had that quality that always brought them back together, even through years of tumultuous relationship problems.
Therefore, I was absolutely against Daniel nudging himself in and ruining a long-time-running super couple.
However, Days was clever and got me to sing a different tune by using this trick. They brought back Chloe so that I had to chose a side: Dannifer...or Danloe.
By making me hate Chloe, I was forced to root for Dannifer.
My perspectives completely shifted because of this. If I don't want Chloe to be happy, then I want Jennifer to be happy.
Curse you, Days writers for forcing me to change my attitude!
Days has been exploring the different sides of "villains" to make them into people you empathize with. Notable ones include: Anna DiMera, Kate Roberts, Kristen DiMera, Nicole Walker, Mimi Lockhart, and...Sami Brady!
Yes. Samantha Gene Brady. The role won a special fan award for "America's Favorite Villain" at the 2002 Daytime Emmy Awards.
Sami was quite the villainess back on 1995 when she was conspiring against Austin and Carrie, drugging people, lying, scheming, seducing and hiding paternity results. The Carrie-Austin shippers really hated Sami and were relieved when she could no longer hold being a father to Will over Austin.
The continuing plays for Austin, Brandon, and Franco, kept Sami on the "Hate" side of the line. Her constant floating from one guy to the next never guaranteed a solid "Team Sami."
However, somewhere along the line, the way we viewed Sami changed. Maybe it was giving birth to twins, maybe it was being committed to Lucas, maybe it was being manipulated by the DiMera's, maybe it was in Witness Protection.
The fans begun to root for Sami. Her support skyrocketed and everyone started saying, "Go Sami!"
Lumi, EJami, Safe. So many people were pulling for these couples to work out. Now, Sami's many men are an ENDEARING part of her character.
Fan's perspective on characters can change on a dime. One minute you love them and want them to have a second chance. The next, you find yourself rooting for whoever can bring about their downfall!
The fabulous writing on Days is what makes these personalities so complex, that we are constantly deciding whether to LOVE them, or HATE them.
Answer: Because he's against Nick. And we like characters who are enemies of characters we hate! Simple as that.
But that seems kind of odd, doesn't it? Do we really hate Nick that much that we'll like anybody who opposes him? ...Yup.
How did we come to dislike Nick so much? When he first was up for parole, many people wanted to give him a second chance. That's one of Days' big themes. SECOND CHANCES. We remembered the Nick Fallon pre-prison.
The sweet guy who Chelsea dumped for Daniel. The guy who was buds with Max. The guy who took in foster children he didn't know and helped support their mom. The genius who created an alternative fuels project. The guy who tugged on all his relative's heartstrings when he took responsibility for his actions and went to prison.
This Nick Fallon is who we felt for when he came back. Unfortunately, we were in for a classic Days twist: turning a good guy into a bad guy...or vice versa.
Even the most conservative, anti-homosexual person would agree that Nick's behavior is unjust, uncalled for, and cruel. The fact is, our perspective of Nick changed the second he started in on Will.
It's safe to say that WilSon is one of the most popular couples on the show right now. So, any threat to a fan fav, especially a threat based on social bigotry, is a catalyst for character hatred.
The young, skinny, super-genius, underdog is gone. And the writers have re-worked his character so that we all turn against him, and root for his demise.
The same phenomenon happened recently when Salem's opera-singer came back. Chloe Lane is a complex character whose "good guy" and "bad guy" status changes constantly. (Read full bio in "Trip Down Memory LANE")
When Chloe first came to Salem in 1999, she was the unpopular, independent, different, taciturn, shy, and dark new girl. Not fitting in, being bullied, and yet having an amazing talent made "Ghoul Girl" a powerful character that you rooted for and tried to relate to.
However, her following storylines shook up that image. Her seductive, cheating, lying, and sneaky ways soon stole any sympathy we previously had for her. Occasionally we'd switch back over to her side when Kate tried to kill her, or when Vivian was manipulating her, or when she had post-partdom depression.
But upon her return, which was soley for the purpose of destroying Daniel's relationship with Jennifer and getting back with him, she crossed the line to "HATE" again.
This is where I realized the power of this trick--of liking one character JUST because one hates another.
Admittedly, at first, I was not in favor of the Dannifer ship. I was far too devastated over the Jack&Jennifer break up and later widow issue. I LOVED watching Jack&Jennifer scenes. They are adorable and had that quality that always brought them back together, even through years of tumultuous relationship problems.
Therefore, I was absolutely against Daniel nudging himself in and ruining a long-time-running super couple.
However, Days was clever and got me to sing a different tune by using this trick. They brought back Chloe so that I had to chose a side: Dannifer...or Danloe.
By making me hate Chloe, I was forced to root for Dannifer.
My perspectives completely shifted because of this. If I don't want Chloe to be happy, then I want Jennifer to be happy.
Curse you, Days writers for forcing me to change my attitude!
Days has been exploring the different sides of "villains" to make them into people you empathize with. Notable ones include: Anna DiMera, Kate Roberts, Kristen DiMera, Nicole Walker, Mimi Lockhart, and...Sami Brady!
Yes. Samantha Gene Brady. The role won a special fan award for "America's Favorite Villain" at the 2002 Daytime Emmy Awards.
Sami was quite the villainess back on 1995 when she was conspiring against Austin and Carrie, drugging people, lying, scheming, seducing and hiding paternity results. The Carrie-Austin shippers really hated Sami and were relieved when she could no longer hold being a father to Will over Austin.
The continuing plays for Austin, Brandon, and Franco, kept Sami on the "Hate" side of the line. Her constant floating from one guy to the next never guaranteed a solid "Team Sami."
However, somewhere along the line, the way we viewed Sami changed. Maybe it was giving birth to twins, maybe it was being committed to Lucas, maybe it was being manipulated by the DiMera's, maybe it was in Witness Protection.
The fans begun to root for Sami. Her support skyrocketed and everyone started saying, "Go Sami!"
Lumi, EJami, Safe. So many people were pulling for these couples to work out. Now, Sami's many men are an ENDEARING part of her character.
Fan's perspective on characters can change on a dime. One minute you love them and want them to have a second chance. The next, you find yourself rooting for whoever can bring about their downfall!
The fabulous writing on Days is what makes these personalities so complex, that we are constantly deciding whether to LOVE them, or HATE them.
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
A Trip Down Memory LANE
Chloe Lane.
Chloe Lane Black Horton Jonas.
The ending to classic couple names such as "Phloe" "Broe" "Danloe"
and the beginning of "Chlucas"
The lovely, opera singing Nadia Bjorlin is reported to return to the Days family sometime in January.
After a short break, where she starred in the film, "the Divorce Invitation," Bjorlin will cure us all of our Chloe withdrawals. (accept maybe Victor)
Although she was only gone for a year and a half, in the soap world it seems like we haven't seen the former opera star and former prostitute in forever. In tribute to Chloe's impending return, let us travel back in time to discuss her history...and we might be able to predict some future storylines!
2000. Yes, that was twelve years ago!
Chloe comes to Salem claiming to be the daughter of Nancy Wesley's deceased friend. Little does anyone know, that Nancy is actually Chloe's mother! Wasn't a pretty sight when Craig found out...
Chloe, a victim of foster care detachment, cruelty, and lonliness had lost all faith in trust and relationships....and people. "All I had was my dark clothes, my glasses, my singing...and my anger. They were my defenses against everything, especially the anger. It was like a drug." (Chloe, June 2001)
She was the girl who thought she was better than everybody else and so she hid behind her glasses. Until one bold rich kid took off her glasses and called her out on it. That was Philip, her high school boyfriend and first love. He got her to come out of her shell and tried to help her trust people.
And it worked. Chloe had a few friends, Shawn Brady and Belle Black. And over time she would develop a better relationship with her mother.
Once shy Chloe was gone and independent Chloe took her place, the dynamics of her relationship with Philip began to change. Combine that with impulsive, confused teenagers and an interloping nephew and you have a classic "make-up, break-up" relationship until 2002.
When Chloe develops leukemia, Philip and Brady(interloping nephew) fight over her care. Since Brady seems like the more practical and responsible person, Chloe ends in with her first love.
Later, Chloe discovers that her mother's rapist is not her father, but that her step-dad, Dr. Craig Wesley is her real father. When her little sister, Joy is born, Chloe is able to get a bone marrow transplant.
She and Brady grow closer, emotionally and physically! She, however, leaves to pursue an opera-singing career in Europe.
After a horrible accident in which her face received much damage she pretended to be dead so as not to face Brady. Nicole schemed to give her a flesh-eating bacteria in order to steal her beau, but it did not work because she revealed herself and married Brady in 2005.
When she returns in 2007, she is alone, being tracked down by Austrian authorities, and seeks aid in her old boyfriend, Phil. ( when I say seeks aid I mean seduces ).
Turns out Brady got addicted to drugs and so he divorces her from rehab. Not good for her ego. That very night, she begins her "friends with benefits" thing with Philip. As we all know, that never ends well. One usually develops actual feelings.
This time it's both. Chloe first: she gets jealous seeing him with a girl he's manipulating for work, so she sleeps with his brother in an elevator. Good payback, girl.
When she's engaged to Lucas, Phil realizes how he feels but it's too late.
Because Lucas was a rebound, Chloe never truly could commit to Lucas 100%. Then, she meets Daniel. A hot, sexy, sensitive, doctor. Did I mention sexy? Guess what comes next.
A jealous and protective mother-in-law, Kate, devises a cooking show with Chloe as the host. After poisoned eggs and apples, she finally bites a poisoned brownie. Her relationship with Daniel is revealed and she falls into a coma.
When she wakes, Lucas has divorced her, and she's engaged to Dr. Sex addict. All seems well until Chloe grows suspicious of his baby-mama. Thanks to some manipulation, curtsy of Vivian, and a bottle of red wine, she ends up crying on the shoulder of Philip.
Funny how it always circles back to Philip...hhhmmmm.
In a depressed, hopeless, drunken state, she reverts to a comfortable and familiar setting. Sex with this man.
Even though, she had a hysterical pregnancy and was told that she couldn't conceive, Chloe ends up wondering who the father of her unborn child is. And ten years ago, she had strayed away from all personal interactions!
"Ghoul Girl" has grown up!
Not wanting to hurt Daniel or Melanie (his daughter and Phil's wife), she decides to come clean if it's not Daniel's and keep quiet if it is. However, Caroline switched the test, so her son, Parker Kiriakis was born with the name Jonas.
Once the truth was revealed and her life destroyed, Chloe did everything she could to "return to normal" and "forget the truth." She attempted this by seducing Daniel, keeping Philip at a distance, and eventually resenting her own son.
In an increased depressed state, she attempted suicide only to be saved on the brink of death by Philip. Man, this guy shows up a lot in her life! Curious....
Because of this incident, she lost custody of Parker. When, she put herself before her baby and drunk fought Melanie and Kate, she lost the respect and support of Philip. Her last and oldest ally was slipping away, and she found herself alone, ill, and regretting not appreciating the friend she had.
In an attempt to earn money to satisfy Social Services, she became a prostitute. My oh my, how things have changed since high school!
After being beaten and comatose in a hospital, her friends (Brady and Nicole) help her get back on her feet and move to Chicago where she will work as a singer to get custody of her son back.
******
Now, she is returning!!!
I really don't see how she is going to come back with the baby without Jay (Philip). It was difficult and unbelievable to fit him in without his dad who has full custody.
Chloe shall have to return without her son, at least for the most part. What buissiness would she have in Salem??? So far as I can see, she has nothing here.
Unless she's back to claim a man! Which one of her exes shall it be? Lucas. Brady. Daniel. What about Philip and Parker in Chicago? Where is her life going and why in the world is it taking her back to Salem? I guess that's for the writers to come up with.
We'll just have to wait and see where the road (or the Lane) takes us!
Chloe Lane Black Horton Jonas.
The ending to classic couple names such as "Phloe" "Broe" "Danloe"
and the beginning of "Chlucas"
The lovely, opera singing Nadia Bjorlin is reported to return to the Days family sometime in January.
After a short break, where she starred in the film, "the Divorce Invitation," Bjorlin will cure us all of our Chloe withdrawals. (accept maybe Victor)
Although she was only gone for a year and a half, in the soap world it seems like we haven't seen the former opera star and former prostitute in forever. In tribute to Chloe's impending return, let us travel back in time to discuss her history...and we might be able to predict some future storylines!
2000. Yes, that was twelve years ago!
Chloe comes to Salem claiming to be the daughter of Nancy Wesley's deceased friend. Little does anyone know, that Nancy is actually Chloe's mother! Wasn't a pretty sight when Craig found out...
Chloe, a victim of foster care detachment, cruelty, and lonliness had lost all faith in trust and relationships....and people. "All I had was my dark clothes, my glasses, my singing...and my anger. They were my defenses against everything, especially the anger. It was like a drug." (Chloe, June 2001)
She was the girl who thought she was better than everybody else and so she hid behind her glasses. Until one bold rich kid took off her glasses and called her out on it. That was Philip, her high school boyfriend and first love. He got her to come out of her shell and tried to help her trust people.
And it worked. Chloe had a few friends, Shawn Brady and Belle Black. And over time she would develop a better relationship with her mother.
Once shy Chloe was gone and independent Chloe took her place, the dynamics of her relationship with Philip began to change. Combine that with impulsive, confused teenagers and an interloping nephew and you have a classic "make-up, break-up" relationship until 2002.
When Chloe develops leukemia, Philip and Brady(interloping nephew) fight over her care. Since Brady seems like the more practical and responsible person, Chloe ends in with her first love.
Later, Chloe discovers that her mother's rapist is not her father, but that her step-dad, Dr. Craig Wesley is her real father. When her little sister, Joy is born, Chloe is able to get a bone marrow transplant.
She and Brady grow closer, emotionally and physically! She, however, leaves to pursue an opera-singing career in Europe.
After a horrible accident in which her face received much damage she pretended to be dead so as not to face Brady. Nicole schemed to give her a flesh-eating bacteria in order to steal her beau, but it did not work because she revealed herself and married Brady in 2005.
When she returns in 2007, she is alone, being tracked down by Austrian authorities, and seeks aid in her old boyfriend, Phil. ( when I say seeks aid I mean seduces ).
Turns out Brady got addicted to drugs and so he divorces her from rehab. Not good for her ego. That very night, she begins her "friends with benefits" thing with Philip. As we all know, that never ends well. One usually develops actual feelings.
This time it's both. Chloe first: she gets jealous seeing him with a girl he's manipulating for work, so she sleeps with his brother in an elevator. Good payback, girl.
When she's engaged to Lucas, Phil realizes how he feels but it's too late.
Because Lucas was a rebound, Chloe never truly could commit to Lucas 100%. Then, she meets Daniel. A hot, sexy, sensitive, doctor. Did I mention sexy? Guess what comes next.
A jealous and protective mother-in-law, Kate, devises a cooking show with Chloe as the host. After poisoned eggs and apples, she finally bites a poisoned brownie. Her relationship with Daniel is revealed and she falls into a coma.
When she wakes, Lucas has divorced her, and she's engaged to Dr. Sex addict. All seems well until Chloe grows suspicious of his baby-mama. Thanks to some manipulation, curtsy of Vivian, and a bottle of red wine, she ends up crying on the shoulder of Philip.
Funny how it always circles back to Philip...hhhmmmm.
In a depressed, hopeless, drunken state, she reverts to a comfortable and familiar setting. Sex with this man.
Even though, she had a hysterical pregnancy and was told that she couldn't conceive, Chloe ends up wondering who the father of her unborn child is. And ten years ago, she had strayed away from all personal interactions!
"Ghoul Girl" has grown up!
Not wanting to hurt Daniel or Melanie (his daughter and Phil's wife), she decides to come clean if it's not Daniel's and keep quiet if it is. However, Caroline switched the test, so her son, Parker Kiriakis was born with the name Jonas.
Once the truth was revealed and her life destroyed, Chloe did everything she could to "return to normal" and "forget the truth." She attempted this by seducing Daniel, keeping Philip at a distance, and eventually resenting her own son.
In an increased depressed state, she attempted suicide only to be saved on the brink of death by Philip. Man, this guy shows up a lot in her life! Curious....
Because of this incident, she lost custody of Parker. When, she put herself before her baby and drunk fought Melanie and Kate, she lost the respect and support of Philip. Her last and oldest ally was slipping away, and she found herself alone, ill, and regretting not appreciating the friend she had.
In an attempt to earn money to satisfy Social Services, she became a prostitute. My oh my, how things have changed since high school!
After being beaten and comatose in a hospital, her friends (Brady and Nicole) help her get back on her feet and move to Chicago where she will work as a singer to get custody of her son back.
******
Now, she is returning!!!
I really don't see how she is going to come back with the baby without Jay (Philip). It was difficult and unbelievable to fit him in without his dad who has full custody.
Chloe shall have to return without her son, at least for the most part. What buissiness would she have in Salem??? So far as I can see, she has nothing here.
Unless she's back to claim a man! Which one of her exes shall it be? Lucas. Brady. Daniel. What about Philip and Parker in Chicago? Where is her life going and why in the world is it taking her back to Salem? I guess that's for the writers to come up with.
We'll just have to wait and see where the road (or the Lane) takes us!
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